National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Unknown

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016; Extreme poverty and human rights; Human rights and preventing and countering violent extremism; Situation of human rights in South Sudan.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2015, Albania has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Albania has always voted in favour – with the exception of one 2015 resolution on the occupied Syrian Golan.
For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Albania has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, Albania has voted in favour of resolutions on the use of firearms, and on human rights, democracy and rule of law; has voted against an Egyptian resolution on the effects of terrorism on human rights; and has abstained on a Pakistan-led resolution on drones.
For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Albania has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Resolutions that it has voted against are: a Cuban resolution on the effects of foreign debt, and a Cuban resolution on international solidarity. It has abstained on the African Group resolution on the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin.

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews1st cycle: 12 / 192

2nd cycle: 45 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2018)?

NO

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 16

Albania tabled ‘voluntary pledges and commitments’ in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2015-2017 on 19 March 2014. The document presents Albania’s international level and national level commitments and pledges for its membership term.

At national level, Albania committed to: legislative reform to ensure compliance with international instruments; promote dialogue between the Government and civil society; improving integration of human rights in decision-making process and policy implementation; reform of the judiciary; combat violence against women and girls; and promote and protect the rights of women and vulnerable groups.

Internationally, Albania pledged to: cooperate with the Council during the second cycle of the UPR; work with Special Procedures mandate-holders in implementing their recommendations and disseminating them; combat intolerance and discrimination; strengthen the UN human rights system infrastructure; promote gender equality and the rights of vulnerable groups; and work towards a human rights perspective in the post-2015 development agenda.

An analysis of steps taken by Albania in fulfillment of its international pledges shows that its participation at the Council is minimal, having engaged in only 13% of panel discussions, 14% of interactive dialogues and 24% of general debates. Nor did Albania engage fully with the UPR. It did not submit a mid-term report on the implementation of recommendations, and (during the first cycle) only participated in the reviews of 12 other countries. Albania did, however, cooperate with Special Procedures, accepting 6 out of 10 visit requests.